The Irish Nurses' Organisation continued its series of lunchtime protests today over conditions in accident and emergency units.
Today's demonstrations took place outside Tallaght Hospital in Dublin, Cavan General Hospital and Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar.
About 300 people took part in the protest at Mayo General Hospital.
Nurses at the hospital were joined by local politicians and townspeople who are campaigning for better A&E facilities. Representatives of local trade union branches also took part in the demonstration.
INO Industrial Relations Officer Noreen Muldoon said the situation at the hospital was ‘disgraceful’. She said there were 17 patients on trolleys last night, including one man who, she claimed, had been on a trolley for four days.
Fine Gael Deputy Michael Ring said what people in Mayo had to endure was totally unacceptable. He said Ireland had just experienced its best 10 years economically since the foundation of the State and more money had to be spent on health services.
Independent TD Jerry Cowley said the situation in Castlebar had to be tackled as it was totally unacceptable that people had to spend nights on trolleys.
The Chairman of Castlebar Trades Council, Tony Deffley, said the country was in danger of becoming the laughing stock of Europe if we had to depend on voluntary contributions to run our hospitals, such as companies providing hospitals with prefabs and equipment.
Protests will continue at selected hospitals until the end of the month.
The INO is seeking a definite timeframe for the implementation of the ten-point plan for A&E units drawn up by the Minister for Health, Mary Harney.
The Health Service Executive maintains the difficulties in the units will ease within weeks.
264 on trolleys, says INO
The INO has reported 264 patients on trolleys in A&E today, awaiting admission to a bed.
Tallaght Hospital says the situation has eased there compared with earlier this week. The hospital says there are now 27 patients on trolleys.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio this morning, Beaumont Hospital A&E consultant Aidan Gleeson predicted that conditions in casualty units would get worse.
He said it was an appalling indictment of the current situation that members of the public and businesses were pledging facilities and equipment to deal with overcrowding in A&E.
